CN105824319B - Method for avoiding one or more obstacles by an aircraft, associated computer program product, electronic system and aircraft - Google Patents
Method for avoiding one or more obstacles by an aircraft, associated computer program product, electronic system and aircraft Download PDFInfo
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- CN105824319B CN105824319B CN201610053229.0A CN201610053229A CN105824319B CN 105824319 B CN105824319 B CN 105824319B CN 201610053229 A CN201610053229 A CN 201610053229A CN 105824319 B CN105824319 B CN 105824319B
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
- G08G5/04—Anti-collision systems
- G08G5/045—Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers
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- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
- G05D1/10—Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions
- G05D1/101—Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions specially adapted for aircraft
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64C27/00—Rotorcraft; Rotors peculiar thereto
- B64C27/02—Gyroplanes
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
- G05D1/0055—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot with safety arrangements
- G05D1/0061—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot with safety arrangements for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
- G05D1/04—Control of altitude or depth
- G05D1/06—Rate of change of altitude or depth
- G05D1/0607—Rate of change of altitude or depth specially adapted for aircraft
- G05D1/0646—Rate of change of altitude or depth specially adapted for aircraft to follow the profile of undulating ground
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
- G05D1/10—Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions
- G05D1/101—Simultaneous control of position or course in three dimensions specially adapted for aircraft
- G05D1/106—Change initiated in response to external conditions, e.g. avoidance of elevated terrain or of no-fly zones
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
- G08G5/0047—Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft
- G08G5/0069—Navigation or guidance aids for a single aircraft specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G5/00—Traffic control systems for aircraft, e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
- G08G5/0073—Surveillance aids
- G08G5/0078—Surveillance aids for monitoring traffic from the aircraft
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and an electronic system for obstacle avoidance for an aircraft 10, such as a helicopter, which can be used in particular in the field of flight management and aircraft guidance systems when the risk of collision with a terrain or an obstacle is identified by an alarm system 12. The aircraft includes a system 12 capable of generating an alert based on the proximity of the obstacle and an electronic avoidance system 30 for performing the method. The method includes generating an alert by the system 12 when an obstacle is detected, and if no manual avoidance maneuver is detected for a particular time in which the alert is active and there is still an alert for that time, determining the obstacle avoidance guidance law by determining a speed set point and/or a heading set point and automatically initiating an automatic avoidance guidance mode based on the set point calculated avoidance guidance law. If the autopilot device 16 is coupled to the automatic avoidance navigation mode, the determined avoidance guidance laws are sent to the autopilot device 16 for automatically performing avoidance maneuvers of the obstacle by operating the aircraft main control units 20, 22 that bring the aircraft to the set points.
Description
Technical Field
The invention relates to a method and an electronic system for avoiding one or more obstacles for an aircraft. The aircraft is for example a rotorcraft. The invention has particular application to flight management and aircraft guidance systems when the monitoring system identifies the presence of a risk of collision with a zone or obstacle in the absence of a runaway condition.
Background
A number of guidance systems are known to be adequate for flight functions to reduce risks and crew workload.
To improve safety, systems are used which foresee the risk of collision and generate alarm information. For example, the TAWS System (Terrain Awareness Warning System, terraint aircraft and Warning System), the HTAWS System (Helicopter Terrain Awareness Warning System, Helicopter terraint aircraft and Warning System), and the GPWS System (Ground Proximity Warning System) or the ebgpws (Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System) can provide Warning information to the flight crew to explain an imminent collision with a Terrain or obstacle.
The use of these systems typically requires the flight crew to disconnect the autopilot system and manually pilot the aircraft for evasive maneuvers, which increases the crew maneuvering effort.
Furthermore, the crew needs to receive special training to use these systems. Even with training, it may happen that the crew is manually implemented that avoids misoperations, such as overoperation or underoperation. The crew may have difficulty in perceiving the actual situation and the avoidance may be untimely, inappropriate, or even impossible.
Human error may occur when understanding the situation and performing operations, resulting in a reduction in safety margin and even a collision.
EP 1859428B 1 discloses a method and a system for passenger aircraft to avoid obstacles. And when the alarm system detects the collision risk and gives an alarm, the automatic avoidance operation is immediately carried out.
The disadvantage of this solution is that the crew cannot participate in the decision loop. Thus, not only are it difficult to capture the conditions associated with the risk of collision, there are also unexpected automatic operations that are not requested. Especially for a rotary wing aircraft, the aircraft often approaches a high-altitude terrain, and the aircraft is not suitable for taking over commands suddenly and completely automatically.
Disclosure of Invention
The present invention therefore sets out to solve the aforementioned problems, and in particular by proposing a method and a system for avoiding obstacles that provide assistance to the crew for carrying out an avoidance maneuver without having to systematically switch to a mode for carrying out the avoidance maneuver itself.
According to a first aspect, the invention provides a method of avoiding one or more obstacles in an aircraft, for example a rotorcraft, the aircraft comprising an alarm system capable of generating an alarm, in particular as a function of the proximity of the obstacle, and an electronic avoidance system, the method being performed by the electronic avoidance system, the method comprising the step of a) generating an alarm by the alarm system upon detection of the obstacle.
Furthermore, the method further comprises the steps of:
b) if no manual avoidance maneuver is detected for longer than a first determined time from the alarm system issuing an alarm to take effect, and if the alarm is maintained during the first time period, automatically activating an automatic obstacle avoidance guidance mode to determine an obstacle avoidance guidance law, the determining a guidance law comprising: determining at least one of a speed set point and/or a heading set point, and calculating avoidance guidance laws according to the determined set point; and
c) if the autopilot device of the aircraft is coupled to the automatic avoidance guidance mode, transmitting to the autopilot device the avoidance guidance law determined in step b) to bring the aircraft to the setpoint by automatically performing manoeuvres for avoiding obstacles by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units of the aircraft, said alarm system being able to generate alarms of at least a first type and a second type, step b) being performed only if the alarm generated by the alarm system is an alarm of the second type.
According to some embodiments, the method further comprises one or more of the following features, which may be present alone or in combination:
if the autopilot device is not coupled to the automatic avoidance guidance mode, displaying the avoidance guidance law determined in step b on a display device of the aircraft to be visible to the flight crew, thereby providing assistance to the flight crew to perform a manual avoidance maneuver by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units of the aircraft to bring the aircraft to the setpoint;
step b) is performed only if the alarm system generates the first type of alarm before the alarm system generates the second type of alarm;
the activation of the automatic avoidance guidance mode in step b) can be performed manually by the crew;
for at least one set point, the avoidance guidance law comprises a convergence law, whereby the current value must converge towards the respective set point;
determining the lead law includes: measuring a current value of a velocity acting on the aircraft, and wherein determining the set point comprises: comparing the one or more current values with one or more corresponding reference values and determining a set point based on the comparison;
one of the determined set points is an air speed (air speed) or ground speed (ground speed) set point comprising a longitudinal component perpendicular to the vertical axis, and the determining comprises: comparing the current air speed or ground speed of the aircraft to the optimal rate of climb and selecting the current air speed or ground speed as the air speed or ground speed set point if the current air speed or ground speed is below the optimal rate of climb; otherwise, selecting the optimal climbing rate;
one of the determined set points is a vertical velocity set point, which includes a vertical component, and the determining includes: comparing the current vertical velocity of the aircraft with a reference vertical velocity value according to the alert type, and selecting the reference vertical velocity as a vertical velocity set point if the current vertical velocity is less than the reference vertical velocity, otherwise selecting the current vertical velocity;
the determining includes: verifying the compatibility between the determined vertical velocity setpoint and a minimum flight path angle, which is in particular dependent on the aircraft, and if the determined vertical velocity setpoint is incompatible with the minimum flight path angle, calculating a new vertical velocity setpoint compatible with the minimum flight path angle;
one of the determined setpoints is a heading setpoint, wherein determining the lead law comprises measuring a current heading value acting on the aircraft, and wherein determining the setpoints comprises: verifying the previous compatibility of the current heading value with the heading constraint and, if the current value is incompatible with the heading constraint, calculating a new heading set point that is compatible with the heading constraint; otherwise, the current value is selected as the heading set point.
According to a second aspect, another subject of the invention is a computer program product comprising software instructions which, when executed on a computer, implement the method according to the preceding.
According to a third aspect, another subject of the invention is an electronic avoidance system for an aircraft, for example a rotorcraft, that avoids one or more obstacles, the aircraft comprising an alarm system able to generate an alarm, in particular as a function of the proximity of the one or more obstacles, the electronic avoidance system comprising: means for determining a lead law for avoiding the obstacle indicated by the alarm generated by the alarm system, said means for determining a lead law comprising means for determining at least one of a speed set point and/or a heading set point and means for calculating the lead law avoidance based on the determined set point,
the system further comprises an activation device capable of:
(i) if no manual avoidance maneuver is detected for longer than a first determined time, which issues an alert from the alarm system (comes into effect, and if the alert is maintained during the first time period, then the automatic obstacle avoidance guidance mode is automatically activated to determine the obstacle avoidance guidance law by the determining means, and
(ii) if the autopilot device of the aircraft is coupled to the automatic avoidance guidance mode, transmitting the calculated avoidance guidance law to the autopilot device for automatically performing manoeuvres for avoiding the obstacle by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units of the aircraft to bring the aircraft to the setpoint, the alarm system being able to generate (alarms) of at least a first type and a second type, the automatic activation being performed only if the alarm generated by the alarm system is of the second type.
According to one embodiment, the system further comprises means for controlling a display on a display device of the aircraft visible to the crew, capable of displaying on the display device the calculated avoidance guidance law, if the autopilot device is not coupled to the automatic avoidance guidance mode, to provide assistance to the crew in performing a manual avoidance maneuver by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units of the aircraft to bring the aircraft to the setpoint.
According to a fourth aspect, another subject of the invention is a rotorcraft comprising: an alarm system capable of generating an alarm, in particular as a function of the proximity of one or more obstacles, and an electronic system as described above for enabling an aircraft to avoid one or more obstacles.
Thus, in the event that the alarm system gives a predictive alarm, the method and system of the present invention initially leaves the flight crew with initiative to have a graduated response to the alarm.
As a final measure, if the crew does not respond and an autopilot device is coupled, an automatic avoidance maneuver is performed based on the calculated commands, which, when applied to the aircraft, allows for an avoidance maneuver appropriate for the alert level.
Alternatively, if no autopilot device is coupled, the calculated command is presented to the flight crew for manual manipulation.
The method and system of the invention thus provide the crew with the following possibilities:
no assistance is used and another response is given; or
Using assisted manual driving to perform evasive maneuvers appropriate for the warning level; or
Using automated guidance for evasive maneuvers appropriate for that alert level,
it is also ensured that the calculated avoidance maneuver is automatically executed without the crew members making a decision.
Thus, safety is improved, and the workload of the crew is reduced and driving comfort is enhanced.
Drawings
The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, given by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an aircraft of the present invention comprising an alarm system, speed and acceleration measurement sensors, flight control components, autopilot devices, data display devices and obstacle avoidance electronics, wherein the alarm system is capable of generating an alert based on, inter alia, the proximity of the ground or one or more obstacles;
FIG. 2 is a set of curves representing different aircraft dynamics and the total power required for the aircraft to fly;
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a method for avoiding one or more obstacles implemented by the avoidance system of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present invention.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an aircraft 10, such as a rotary wing aircraft, incorporating an alarm system 12, the alarm system 12 being capable of generating an alarm based on, inter alia, the proximity (proximity) of one or more obstacles, which may be terrain obstacles, such as portions related to a protruding portion (relief) of the terrain.
The aircraft 10 also includes a set of sensors 14, the sensors 14 being capable of measuring data relating to the aircraft 10, such as the speed and acceleration of the aircraft 10.
The aircraft 10 also includes an autopilot device 16 and a data display device 18, the data display device 18 being, for example, a monitoring screen 18.
In addition, the aircraft 10 includes a first pole (stick)20 and a second pole 22, each of which forms a master control unit that is operable to be steered by a crew 24 of the aircraft 10.
According to the invention, the aircraft 10 also comprises an electronic system 30 for the aircraft 10 to avoid one or more obstacles.
When alarm system 12 issues an alarm, alarm system 12 provides data regarding the type of alarm to electronic avoidance system 30. This data may be formed from data on flight restrictions, data on the current aircraft state, and engine data, which may originate from the alarm system 12 itself or from another adaptive system, i.e. the sensors 14.
The electronic avoidance system 30 can then determine the obstacle avoidance guidance law by determining one or more speed set points and/or heading set points, and calculating the guidance law from these set points.
The sensor group 14 is adapted to measure the velocity and acceleration of the aircraft 10, in particular the vertical velocity VZ and the vertical acceleration AZ in the vertical direction Z, i.e. the direction orthogonal to the surface of the earth or substantially passing through the centre of the earth's globe. The measured vertical velocity and the measured vertical acceleration, which correspond to the current vertical velocity of the aircraft 10 and the current vertical acceleration of the aircraft 10, respectively, are denoted VZ _ mes and AZ _ mes, respectively.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention applies similarly to the case where the flight path angle (which is denoted as FPA) is used instead of the vertical velocity VZ, in which case remembering that the transition from one magnitude to another uses the following formula:
wherein VX represents the longitudinal velocity in the longitudinal direction X perpendicular to the vertical direction Z.
The set of sensors 14 is also adapted to measure an indicated air speed or ground speed, the measured air speed or ground speed of the aircraft 10 corresponding to a current air or ground speed of the aircraft 10.
The indicated air velocity is generally indicated as IAS. The acronym IAS will also be used for ground speed in the rest of the description, both by convention and for simplicity.
Similarly, the measured air velocity is denoted as IAS mes, which will also be used to refer to the measured ground velocity.
Thus, in the remainder of the description, the air or ground speed will correspond conventionally to the indicated air speed IAS.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention applies similarly to the case where the measured air velocity is a normal air velocity or a true air velocity, or to the MACH.
The air or ground velocity IAS comprises a vertical component in the vertical direction Z and a longitudinal component in a longitudinal direction X perpendicular to the vertical direction Z.
The set of sensors 14 is also adapted to measure a longitudinal acceleration AX of the aircraft 10 in the longitudinal direction X, the measured longitudinal acceleration being denoted AX measured.
The autopilot device 16 is known per se and when it is activated, the autopilot device 16 allows the aircraft 10 to automatically act on the path of the aircraft 10 if neither of the master control components 20, 22 is operated by the aircraft flight crew 24.
Typically, on a rotorcraft 10, autopilot device 16 is always activated to ensure substantial stability.
In addition, an automatic guidance mode may also be exhibited, such that the aircraft 10 is guided in accordance with the determined guidance law.
If such an auto-pilot mode exists, it is said that the auto-pilot mode is coupled to the autopilot device 16 (or the autopilot device 16 is coupled to the auto-pilot mode) when the auto-pilot mode is initiated, or activated, and transmits its command to the autopilot device 16.
Conversely, it is said that when the autopilot mode is initiated, or activated, but no command thereof is transmitted to the autopilot device 16, the autopilot mode is not coupled to the autopilot device 16 (or the autopilot device 16 is not coupled to the autopilot mode).
The display screen 18 is capable of displaying data, particularly data from the electronic avoidance system 30, to provide assisted piloting to the aircraft crew 24.
In the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 1, display screen 18 is separate from electronic avoidance system 30. As a variant, but not shown, the display screen 18 is integrated in the electronic avoidance system 30.
The first and second levers 20, 22 are known per se and form the main control unit of the aircraft 10, which is manipulated by the crew 24 to pilot the aircraft.
The second operating lever 22, also known as cyclic lever or cyclic, is adapted to control pitch (pitch) changes of the rotorcraft 10.
In the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 1, electronic avoidance system 30 is independent of alarm system 12 and autopilot device 16.
As a variant not shown in the figures, the electronic avoidance system 30 is integrated in the autopilot device 16. The display screen 18 then corresponds, for example, to a display screen of the autopilot device 16, which is not shown in the figure, and the data processing unit 32 corresponds to a data processing unit of the autopilot device 16, which is not shown in the figure.
The memory 34 can store acquisition software 38 that stores data in the data provided by the set of sensors 14, data from the warning system 12, and any set points provided by the autopilot device 16.
The memory 34 can also store software 40 for determining one or more of the speed set points IAS _ cons, VZ _ cons, and/or the heading set point CAP _ cons.
The memory 34 can also store software 42 for calculating the obstacle avoidance guidance laws, which are calculated from the determined speed set points and/or heading set points IAS _ cons, VZ _ cons, CAP _ cons.
Additionally, memory 34 can store software 44 for controlling the display of data relating to the calculated avoidance guidance law on display screen 18.
Such data, displayed on the display screen 18, is visible to the flight crew 24, which provides assistance to enable the flight crew 24 to perform manual avoidance maneuvers by acting on one and/or the other of the two master control units 20, 22 of the aircraft 10. The purpose of such action is to bring the aircraft 10 to the determined set points IAS _ cons, VZ _ cons, CAP _ cons.
Also, the memory 34 can store software 46 to activate the automatic avoidance guidance mode by transmitting data relating to the calculated avoidance guidance law to the autopilot device 16 to cause the autopilot device 16 to automatically perform the avoidance maneuver.
In this case, the autopilot device 16 automatically acts on one and/or the other of the two main control units 20, 22 of the aircraft 10, such action being intended to bring the aircraft 10 to the determined set points IAS _ cons, VZ _ cons, CAP _ cons.
For example, the data transmitted to autopilot device 16 includes an attitude change command (attitude command) D _ THETA _ com, a collective stick change command D _ CO LL _ com, a roll attitude change command, or a yaw rate command D _ PS L _ com.
The acquisition software 38, the software 40 for determining one or more speed set points and/or heading set points, and the software 42 for calculating the obstacle-avoidance guidance law form a data acquisition device 42, a device 40 for determining one or more speed set points and/or heading set points, and a device 42 for calculating the obstacle-avoidance guidance law, respectively.
The means 40 for determining one or more speed set points and/or heading set points and the means 42 for calculating the obstacle-avoiding guidance law more generally form the means 40, 42 for determining the obstacle-avoiding guidance law.
As a variant, the acquisition means, the determination means 40 and the calculation means 42 take the form of programmable logic components or of application-specific integrated circuits.
The display control software 44 and the activation software 46 form means 44 for controlling the display of data on the display screen 18 and means 46 for activating the automatic avoidance guidance mode to determine the avoidance guidance law and to transmit data relating to the determined guidance law to the autopilot device 16, respectively.
As a variant, the display control means 44 and the activation means 46 take the form of programmable logic components or of application-specific integrated circuits.
The acquisition software 38 is adapted to acquire, for example, the measured vertical and air velocity values VZ _ mes, IAS _ mes, and the measured vertical and longitudinal acceleration values AZ _ mes, AX _ mes.
The determination software 40 is adapted to, for example, calculate a vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons, an air velocity set point IAS _ cons, and a heading (heading) set point CAP _ cons. The vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons includes only a vertical component in the vertical direction Z, and the air velocity set point IAS _ cons includes a vertical component in the vertical direction Z and a longitudinal component in the longitudinal direction X.
In a desired example of embodiment, each of the speed setpoints VZ _ cons, IAS _ cons, and heading setpoint CAP _ cons includes a target value, and an avoidance guidance law (avoidance guidance law) is calculated from the current value and the target value so that the current value converges toward the target value according to a convergence law (convergence law).
If no manual avoidance maneuvers by the crew 24 are detected for longer than a first determined time T (which first determined time T takes effect from the issuance of an alert by the warning system 12), and if the alert continues for the first determined time T, the activation software 46 can change the aircraft 10 to the automatic obstacle avoidance guidance mode.
In one variation, the alarms generated by alarm system 12 may be of different types. For example, they may be a first type of predictive alert: CAUTION, a second type of predictive alert: WARNING, even the third type of predictive alert: AVOID.
In this variant, if no manual evasive manoeuvre by the crew member 24 is detected for a time longer than the first determined time T (which is active since the alarm system 12 issued), and if the alarm is always on during the time T, and only the alarm under consideration is of the second type: in the case of WARNING, the activation software 46 causes the aircraft 10 to change to the automatic obstacle avoidance guidance mode.
Alternatively, additional conditions may be required, namely: the alarm under consideration is of a second type: before WARNING, the alarm system 12 must first generate a first type of alarm: CAUTION.
Activation of the autopilot mode may be achieved by the activation software 46 as described above or by manual activation action by the flight crew 24.
The calculation software 42 is adapted to calculate a lead law for avoiding one or more obstacles based on the determined speed and/or heading set points (e.g., based on the vertical speed set point VZ _ cons, the air speed set point IAS _ cons, and the heading set point CAP _ cons).
The guidance laws calculated by the calculation software 42 include, for example, three commands, namely a first command dependent on the air speed set point IAS _ cons and the measured air speed IAS _ mes, a second command dependent on the vertical speed set point VZ _ cons and the measured vertical speed VZ _ mes, and a third command dependent on the heading set point CAP _ cons and the measured heading CAP _ mes (corresponding to the current heading of the aircraft 10).
Furthermore, the calculated guidance law depends firstly also on the vertical acceleration AZ and secondly on the longitudinal acceleration AX. The first command then depends on the air speed set point IAS _ cons, the measured air speed IAS _ mes and the longitudinal acceleration AX. Similarly, the second command depends on the vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons, the measured vertical velocity VZ _ mes, and the vertical acceleration AZ.
In this described example of embodiment, where aircraft 10 is a rotary wing aircraft, the first command is an attitude change command (attitude change command) D _ THETA _ com, the second command is a collective pitch change command (collective pitch change command) D _ CO LL _ com, and the third command is a roll attitude change command or a yaw rate command (roll attitude change command or yaw rate of yaw command) D _ PSI _ com.
The attitude change command D _ THETA _ com verifies, for example, the following equation:
D_THETA_com＝-K1×(IAS_cons-IAS_mes)+K2×AX_mes (2)
where IAS _ cons is the air speed set point,
IAS mes is the measured air velocity,
AX _ mes is the measured longitudinal acceleration, an
K1 and K2 are gains that depend at least on altitude and speed.
Gain K1 in degrees/m.s-1(degrees per m.s-1) Is expressed, and is for example at 1 degree/m.s-1And 6 degrees/m.s-1Of between, typically 3 degrees/m.s-1。
Gain K2 in degrees/m.s-2Is expressed, and is for example at 0 degrees/m.s-2And 12 degrees/m.s-2Of between, typically 6 degrees/m.s-2。
The collective lever change command D _ CO LL _ com verifies, for example, the following equation:
D_COLL_com＝K3×(VZ_cons-VZ_mes)-K4×AZ_mes (3)
wherein VZ _ cons is the vertical velocity set point,
VZ mes is the measured vertical velocity,
AZ _ mes is the measured vertical acceleration, an
K3 and K4 are gains that depend at least on altitude and speed.
Gain K3 in%/m.s-1(％per m.s-1) Is expressed and is, for example, 1%/m.s-1And 4%/m.s-1In between, typically 2%/m.s-1。
Gain K4 in%/m.s-2(％per m.s-2) Is represented, and is for example, at 0%/m.s-2And 4%/m.s-2In between, typically 1%/m.s-2。
The roll attitude change command or yaw rate command D _ PSI _ com is, for example, the following equation:
D_PSI_com＝K5×(CAP_cons-CAP_mes) (4)
where CAP _ cons is the heading set point,
CAP mes is the current heading or measured heading,
k5 is a gain that depends at least on altitude and speed, expressed in terms of roll attitude/heading (for rotational attitude change commands), and is for example between 0.1 and 3, typically 1.5.
The function of the electronic avoidance system 30 of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 3, which provides a flow chart of the avoidance method of the present invention in FIG. 3.
In an initial step 100, the values of the vertical velocity VZ _ mes and the air velocity IAS _ mes are measured by the set of sensors 14 and then obtained by the acquisition software 38. The acquisition software 38 also obtains current heading data, CAP mes, and data regarding alerts sent by the alert system 12.
In addition, the values of the vertical acceleration AZ _ mes and the longitudinal acceleration AX _ mes are measured by the set of sensors 14 and then obtained by the acquisition software 38.
Preferably, these different speed values and acceleration values are measured at one and the same time. The determination software 40 then determines the vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons, the air velocity set point IAS _ cons, and the heading set point CAP _ cons at step 110, using, among other things, the previously acquired measured vertical velocity, air velocity, and heading values VZ _ mes, IAS _ mes, CAP _ mes.
To this end, the current velocity values IAS _ mes and VZ _ mes are compared with the corresponding reference velocity values IAS _ ref and VZ _ ref, and the corresponding set points IAS _ cons and VZ _ cons are determined based on the result of the comparison.
For example, to determine the air speed set point IAS _ cons, the reference air speed IAS _ ref may be the air speed of the best rate of climb (climb) Vy.
This optimal climb air velocity Vy (which can be seen in fig. 2) is the air velocity corresponding to the minimum value of the total power (total power) required for the flight of the aircraft 10, which corresponds to the bold curve 60 in fig. 2. In fig. 2, curve 62 represents the induced power (induced power) used to lift the aircraft 10, curve 64 represents the parasitic power caused by the aerodynamic effect of the relative wind on the aircraft 10, curve 66 represents the profile power (profile power) caused by the drag on the rotor blade (rotor blade), and the total power required is the sum of the induced power, parasitic power and profile power.
If the air speed set point IAS _ cons is less than the optimal climb rate Vy, then the value of the measured air speed IAS _ mes is selected as the new air speed set point IAS _ cons. Otherwise, the value of the optimal climb rate Vy is selected as the new air speed set point IAS _ cons.
In determining the vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons, the reference vertical velocity VZ _ ref may depend on the following types of alarms: CAUTION, WARNING, etc. For example, when the level of the alarm is reasonable, the reference vertical speed VZ _ ref may correspond to a maximum powered vertical climb speed (maximum power vertical speed), and thus to the speed obtained at the maximum allowable position of the collective lever 20.
If the measured vertical velocity VZ _ mes is greater than the reference vertical velocity VZ _ ref, the value of the reference vertical velocity is selected as the new vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons. If not, the measured vertical velocity VZ _ mes is selected as the new vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons.
It is also possible to verify the compatibility of the determined vertical speed setpoint VZ _ cons with a minimum flight path angle (minimum flight path angle) FPA _ min, which depends, among other things, on the characteristics of the aircraft 10.
Therefore, if the determined vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons is incompatible (compatible) with the minimum flight path angle FPA _ min, a new vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons is calculated that coincides with the minimum flight path angle FPA _ min.
If the minimum flight path angle does not exist, the vertical velocity set point is considered compatible by default.
Calculating a new vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons compatible with the minimum flight path angle FPA _ min may result in selecting the vertical velocity closest to the current or measured value of the vertical velocity VZ _ mes compatible with FPA _ min as the new vertical velocity set point VZ _ cons.
In determining the heading setpoint, CAP _ cons, the current heading value, CAP _ mes, of the aircraft 10 is measured and its compatibility with heading constraints is verified.
If the current heading value, CAP _ mes, is not compatible with the heading constraint, then a new heading setpoint, CAP _ cons, is calculated that is compatible with the constraint. Otherwise, the current heading value, CAP _ mes, is used as the new heading setpoint, CAP _ cons.
The calculation software 42, as shown in FIG. 3, then calculates the obstacle avoidance guidance law at step 160 based on the determined speed set point and heading set point in this described example of embodiment, the calculation software 42 calculates the attitude change command D _ THETA _ com according to equation (2) based on the value of the air speed set point IAS _ cons, the value of the measured air speed IAS _ mes, and the value of the measured longitudinal acceleration AX _ mes. the calculation software 42 also calculates the collective lever change command D _ CO LL _ com according to equation (4) based on the value of the vertical speed set point VZ _ cons, the value of the measured vertical speed VZ _ mes, and the value of the measured vertical acceleration AZ _ mes. finally, the calculation software 42 calculates the roll attitude change command or the yaw rate command D _ PSI _ com according to equation (5) based on the set point value CAP _ cons and the measured heading value CAP _ mes.
After step 160, and if the autopilot device 16 is coupled with the automatic avoidance guidance mode, the electronic avoidance system 30 transmits data related to the calculated avoidance guidance law to the autopilot device 16 via the transmission software 46 at step 180 so that the autopilot device 16 can automatically perform the avoidance maneuvers, hi particular, the transmission software 46 transmits command values for the attitude change D _ THETA _ com, collective heading D _ CO LL _ com, and roll attitude change or yaw rate D _ PSI _ com previously calculated at step 160.
Alternatively, if the autopilot device 16 is not coupled with the automatic avoidance guidance mode, the electronic avoidance system 30 moves to step 170 where the display software 44 of the autopilot device 16 manages the data related to the calculated avoidance guidance law displayed on the display screen 18 to allow the crew 24 to manually perform the calculated avoidance maneuvers.
Also, after step 160, electronic avoidance system 30 returns to step 100 to acquire new data via its acquisition software 38.
After returning to step 100, electronic avoidance system 30 moves to step 110 to determine a new set point.
Preferably, the respective target values VZ _ cons, IAS _ cons, and CAP _ cons are modified only if the acquired data changes. In other words, the respective target values are modified only in the case where the avoidance maneuver has to be changed (e.g., there is a new obstacle or after an obstacle ends).
Claims (17)
1. A method of avoiding one or more obstacles by an aircraft (10), the aircraft (10) comprising an alarm system (12) and an electronic avoidance system (30), the alarm system (12) being capable of generating an alarm depending on the proximity of the obstacle, the method being performed by the electronic avoidance system (30), the method comprising the steps of:
a) an alarm is generated by an alarm system (12) upon detection of an obstacle,
characterized in that the method further comprises the steps of:
b) if no manual avoidance maneuver is detected for longer than a first determined time from the alarm system (12) being active, and if the alarm is maintained for the first determined time, automatically activating an automatic avoidance guidance mode to determine avoidance guidance laws, the determining avoidance guidance laws comprising: determining at least one of a speed set point and/or a heading set point (110), and calculating avoidance guidance laws from the determined set points (160); and
c) if the autopilot device (16) of the aircraft (10) is coupled to the automatic avoidance guidance mode, transmitting the avoidance guidance law (180) determined in step b) to the autopilot device (16) for automatically performing manoeuvres for avoiding obstacles by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units (20, 22) of the aircraft (10) to bring the aircraft (10) to a setpoint, the warning system (12) being able to generate at least a first type and a second type of warning, step b) being performed only if the warning generated by the warning system (12) is of the second type.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the aircraft is a rotorcraft.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, if the autopilot device (16) is not coupled to the automatic avoidance guidance mode, the method comprises displaying the avoidance guidance law (170) determined in step b) on a display device (18) of the aircraft to be visible to the crew (24) in order to provide assistance to the crew (24) to perform a manual avoidance maneuver by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units (20, 22) of the aircraft (10) in order to bring the aircraft (10) to the setpoint.
4. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein step b) is performed only if the alarm system (12) generates the first type of alarm before the alarm system (12) generates the second type of alarm.
5. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the activation of the automatic avoidance guidance mode in step b) can be performed manually by the crew (24).
6. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein for at least one set point the avoidance guidance law comprises a convergence law, whereby the current value has to converge towards the respective set point.
7. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein determining avoidance guidance law comprises: measuring a current value (100) of a velocity acting on the aircraft (10), and wherein determining the set point (110) comprises: the one or more current values are compared to one or more corresponding reference values, and a set point is determined based on the comparison.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein one of the determined setpoints is an air speed or ground speed setpoint that includes a longitudinal component perpendicular to the vertical axis, and determining at least one of a speed setpoint and/or a heading setpoint (110) includes: comparing the current air speed or ground speed of the aircraft (10) to the optimal rate of climb and selecting the current air speed or ground speed as the air speed or ground speed set point if the current air speed or ground speed is below the optimal rate of climb; otherwise, the optimal climb rate is selected.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein one of the determined setpoints is a vertical speed setpoint, which includes a vertical component, and determining at least one of a speed setpoint and/or a heading setpoint (110) comprises: according to the type of alarm, the current vertical speed of the aircraft (10) is compared with a reference vertical speed value, and if the current vertical speed is less than the reference vertical speed, the reference vertical speed is selected as the vertical speed set point, otherwise the current vertical speed is selected.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining at least one of a speed setpoint and/or a heading setpoint (110) comprises: the compatibility between the determined vertical velocity set point and the minimum flight path angle, which is dependent on the aircraft (10), is verified, and if the determined vertical velocity set point is incompatible with the minimum flight path angle, a new vertical velocity set point compatible with the minimum flight path angle is calculated.
11. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein one of the determined setpoints is a heading setpoint, wherein determining the avoidance guidance law comprises measuring a current heading value (100) acting on the aircraft (10), and wherein determining the setpoint (110) comprises: verifying the compatibility between the current heading value and the heading constraint and, if the current value is incompatible with the heading constraint, calculating a new heading set point compatible with the heading constraint; otherwise, the current value is selected as the heading set point.
12. A computer program storage medium comprising software instructions which, when executed on a computer, implement the method according to any one of claims 1-11.
13. An electronic avoidance system (30) for causing an aircraft (10) to avoid one or more obstacles, the aircraft (10) including an alert system (12) capable of generating an alert based on the proximity of the one or more obstacles, the electronic avoidance system (30) comprising: determination means (40, 42) for determining the avoidance guidance law for the obstacle indicated by the alarm generated by the avoidance warning system (12), said determination means (40, 42) for determining the avoidance guidance law comprising means (40) for determining at least one of a speed set point and/or a heading set point and means (42) for calculating the avoidance guidance law from the determined set point,
characterized in that the system further comprises activation means (46), the activation means (46) being capable of:
(i) if no manual avoidance maneuver is detected for longer than a first determined time from the alarm system (12) being active, and if the alarm is maintained during this first determined time, automatically activating the automatic avoidance guidance mode to determine the obstacle avoidance guidance law by the determination means (40, 42); and
(ii) if the autopilot device (16) of the aircraft (10) is coupled to the automatic avoidance guidance mode, transmitting the calculated avoidance guidance law to the autopilot device (16) for automatically performing a maneuver avoiding the obstacle by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units (20, 22) of the aircraft (10) to bring the aircraft (10) to a setpoint,
the alarm system (12) is capable of generating at least a first type and a second type of alarm, the automatic activation being performed only if the alarm generated by the alarm system (12) is the second type of alarm.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the aerial vehicle is a rotorcraft.
15. A system according to claim 13 or 14, comprising means (44) for controlling a display on a display device (18) of the aircraft (10) visible to the crewmember (24), the means (44) being capable of displaying the calculated evasive guidance law on the display device (18) if the autopilot device (16) is not coupled to the automatic evasive guidance mode, so as to provide assistance to the crewmember (24) for performing a manual evasive maneuver by operating one and/or the other of the two main control units (20, 22) of the aircraft (10) in order to bring the aircraft (10) to the setpoint.
16. An aircraft (10) comprising: warning system (12) able to generate an alarm depending on the proximity of one or more obstacles and electronic avoidance system (30) for the avoidance of one or more obstacles by an aircraft (10), characterized in that the electronic avoidance system (30) is in accordance with any one of claims 13 to 15.
17. The aircraft of claim 16, wherein the aircraft is a rotary wing aircraft.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
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|---|---|---|---|
| FR1500144A FR3032043B1 (en) | 2015-01-26 | 2015-01-26 | METHOD OF AVOIDING ONE OR MORE OBSTACLES BY AN AIRCRAFT, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, ELECTRONIC SYSTEM AND AIRCRAFT |
| FR1500144 | 2015-01-26 |
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| CN105824319B true CN105824319B (en) | 2020-07-28 |
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| US10216186B2 (en) * | 2016-05-23 | 2019-02-26 | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | Task allocation and variable autonomy levels |
| CN110325939B (en) * | 2017-03-09 | 2023-08-01 | 深圳市大疆创新科技有限公司 | System and method for operating an unmanned aerial vehicle |
| US11656634B2 (en) * | 2018-02-28 | 2023-05-23 | Honeywell International Inc. | Apparatus and method for providing enhanced autopilot mode awareness for a pilot of an aircraft |
| JP7262076B2 (en) * | 2018-06-28 | 2023-04-21 | パナソニックＩｐマネジメント株式会社 | Mobile robot and control method |
| US10692389B2 (en) * | 2018-07-20 | 2020-06-23 | Aurora Flight Services Corporation, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company | Flight control systems for aerial vehicles and related methods |
| US11273928B2 (en) * | 2018-08-27 | 2022-03-15 | Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation | Time available before aircraft auto-recovery begins |
| FR3093583B1 (en) | 2019-03-07 | 2021-11-19 | Thales Sa | PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR AUGMENTED 3D PECEPTION OF THE GROUND-BOUND ENVIRONMENT AROUND AN AIRCRAFT AND ANTICIPATION OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS |
| CN110568858B (en) * | 2019-08-16 | 2022-07-08 | 天津大学 | Method for adjusting safety distance of unmanned aerial vehicle based on LED aviation obstruction light |
| US20230150690A1 (en) * | 2021-11-15 | 2023-05-18 | Honeywell International Inc. | Systems and methods for providing safe landing assistance for a vehicle |
| US11908335B2 (en) * | 2022-07-13 | 2024-02-20 | Honeywell International Inc. | System and method for suggesting switching operational modes of a ground proximity warning system |
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Also Published As
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| FR3032043A1 (en) | 2016-07-29 |
| EP3048503B1 (en) | 2019-09-04 |
| FR3032043B1 (en) | 2017-02-17 |
| CN105824319A (en) | 2016-08-03 |
| EP3048503A1 (en) | 2016-07-27 |
| US9978286B2 (en) | 2018-05-22 |
| EP3572901A1 (en) | 2019-11-27 |
| EP3572901B1 (en) | 2020-06-17 |
| US20160217697A1 (en) | 2016-07-28 |
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